It is known in the art relating to roller cam followers, such as roller hydraulic valve lifters and finger followers to provide a steel roller bearing shaft supporting a cam follower roller and retained in laterally spaced shaft bores in a follower body. To prevent lateral motion of the shaft, it may be selectively hardened to maintain the ends soft enough to be deformed by a riveting tool which locks the shaft in position in the follower body shaft bores. This assembly method requires care to provide adequate upset of the shaft ends to retain the shaft without causing distortion of the mating body or arm support structure.